


A Bite of the Apple

by TheBlinkFox



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Drama & Romance, F/F, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 22:30:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 18,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17129906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBlinkFox/pseuds/TheBlinkFox
Summary: "This is the story of the Nightmares that haunted me and the House they dwelt in. It's the story of blood and magic and terror. But most of all I would say it's a story about her. She knew darkness more intimately than a lover, and it knew her in turn. Sometimes I would be jealous. And sometimes I would see the truth. She looked so hollow, like the darkness had carved out her heart and sat in its place. It hadn't though, not really. The fact that I'm here to tell you this story is proof of that." - SuA





	1. Kim Bora

I hurried along the sidewalk through the rain. It was past 1am on the girls' Friday night out and it was high time I slept off some of the alcohol. The smell of it came with each breath. Why did I drink so much? And why did I decide to wear heels?

The lights were on in the city tonight. Seoul was alive with inebriated chatter and shouting. People were everywhere. But I was all alone in the city. Rain soaked through my coat and chilled me to the bone. A little shiver passed through me. I was alone. That is, until, I heard it.

A voice.

The voice.

My life was never the same after that.

I'm about to tell you everything that happened when I met her. You won't believe even half of it and I won't blame you. What happened is beyond words, beyond explanation, but I'm going to try anyway.

This is the story of the Nightmares that haunted me and the House they dwelt in. It's the story of blood and magic and terror. But most of all I would say it's a story about her. I thought I knew darkness, but she knew it properly. She knew it more intimately than a lover and it knew her in turn. Sometimes I would be jealous. And sometimes I would see the truth: a sad, haunted look in her eyes. No, sad isn't the right word. Empty. She looked so hollow, like the darkness had carved out her heart and sat in its place. It hadn't though, not really. The fact that I'm here to tell you this story is proof of that.

It was Friday night and it was raining when I heard her voice. She was calling from a darkened alleyway. Normally I don't stop for this sort of thing. A voice from an alleyway at 1am seems suspicious, doesn't it? But it was a woman's voice. She was in pain. And she was groaning, "Help me! Please help me!" So I stopped and squinted into the alley.

The alley was like any other. Filthy, riddled with puddles, and lined with trash dumps. And in the middle of it all lay a bloodied woman with beautiful hair and the darkest, most dangerous eyes I had seen on anyone. Physically, they looked brown, but there was something about her I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Still, against my better judgement I took a ginger step into the alley and called to her, "Hello? Who are you? What's happened?"

The woman propped herself up on shaking hands and knees. "I need help," she gasped. "And I have no other option but you." With a large grunt she heaved herself onto one foot, then pushed herself into standing position. She swayed like a drunkard, but her eyes locked onto mine. They sent a chill down my spine. "I'm sorry," she said. And then she collapsed.

I raced to her side and knelt on the muddy ground. Hooking my arms under hers, I turned her onto her back and pulled her up against me. "I'm taking you to the hospital," I said.

"No," she hissed. "No hospital."

"Give me one good reason."

"They will kill me."

"Who will? Why?"

But the woman didn't answer. She had passed out in my arms. Her skin was deathly pale, and she had several large gashes running down her forearms. The ends of her shirt sleeves looked like they had been torn off by a wild animal. I had no idea what had happened to her, but I couldn't just leave her there. She needed help, and for some reason the hospital was a no-go.

In hindsight I realise the smart thing would have been to simply take her to the hospital regardless. But it was dark, and I was alone, so alone, and she was right there when she needed me. When I needed her. Needed someone. So I slung one of her arms around my shoulders and through the rain and night I hauled her the rest of the way home.


	2. Lee Siyeon

I was panting like a dog by the time I reached my apartment door. My clothes were drenched with moisture – by the rain from the outside, and by my sweat from the inside. I had also tracked mud and blood into the elevator and down the hallway. My landlord would not be happy.

Still, my mind was spinning, and not just from the alcohol. I had a girl, who was admittedly very pretty, slung around my shoulder and she was covered it blood and dirt. My mind was already racing as I opened my apartment door, but I took a few deeps breaths and forced myself to think of one thing at a time.

The first thing – where would I put her? My apartment was a studio. There was a tiny kitchen near the doorway, which lead to a space where my bed and desk was, and around the corner was a tiny bathroom. Just enough space for one person. There wasn't room for two. It was going to be a cosy fit, to say the least. And for the first time, I was glad she was unconscious. Everything was a mess. The dishes were piled up in the sink. My clothes were strewn all over the bed and floor. My desk was piled with papers, drawing equipment, and my laptop on the side.

So, what was the first thing? I had to get her to the bathroom and clean her up. My apartment was messy enough as was. No need to add blood to the mix. I grunted as I lugged the unconscious girl to the bathroom and sat her down under the shower. What should I do? She needed to be clean but I doubt she would be too happy about me undressing her. What should I do? I bit my lip as my mind whirred.

Meanwhile, the girl began to stir. Without my noticing, her eyes fluttered open, then went wide. She gasped and shoved me back with enough force to slam me against the wall of the shower. My breath was knocked out of me. I struggled to gasp in air.

The girl used the wall to get to her feet. She was trembling. With pain or fear? Despite the fierce expression on her face I wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be alright. I had the feeling she was very, very afraid.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she demanded.

I held my hands up in surrender and slowly got to my feet too. "My name is Kim Bora. You're in my apartment. Don't worry, I want to help you," I said as gently as I could.

"I'm sure you do," the girl hissed.

I nodded at the blood dripping down her arms and pooling on the floor of my shower. "Clearly you need help, and for some strange reason, the hospital won't do."

The girl shook her head frantically. "No, no, no. No, they won't."

"So it seems like you don't have a lot of choices. I'm offering to help you. Are you going to accept, or not?"

There was a solid beat of silence where all I could hear was the girl's rapid, shallow breathing. Neither of us looked away from each other. I wasn't breathing at all.

Not until she said, "I accept."

I let out a silent sigh. "Okay. The first thing I need to do is clean your wounds. To do that, you need to take some of your clothes off."

The girl eyed me warily. "...Okay," she said.

"Are you hurt anywhere other than your arms?"

"No."

"Then you only need to take off your shirt."

The girl began to unbutton her shirt, her eyes locked on me the whole time. As if she expected me to do something.

And I did. I left the bathroom to grab my first-aid bag and returned promptly. The girl's shirt was off by then, leaving her in her jeans, trainers, and bra. The wounds on her arms were vicious, jagged lacerations that went from her upper forearms almost to her shoulders. And she also had some more wounds on her right flank. She lied to me about having other wounds. I didn't understand why.

I took a step towards her. She shuffled back into the corner.

"I won't hurt you, I promise," I said softly. "What's your name?"

The girl glanced down before looking back at me and replying, "Siyeon. Lee Siyeon."

I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "Nice to meet you, Siyeon. I'm going to clean all your wounds and stop them from getting infected. This may sting, but I promise it is the opposite of doing you harm. The opposite, okay?"

A moment of silence. Then Siyeon nodded.

I unzipped the first-aid bag and took out a bottle of saline and some antiseptic. "This is the stingy bit. Please try to stay calm."

Siyeon nodded again.

I began flushing all her wounds with the saline. As I worked, I asked her, "Is there anyone I can call? Any family or friends?"

Siyeon shook her head. "No." Her voice was hoarse, as if she had been yelling. Or screaming. "There is no-one."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say to that, so I continued flushing her wounds. When I was done, I began applying the antiseptic.

Siyeon hissed through her teeth and snarled.

"I know, I'm sorry. This is the worst of it. Just hang in there."

She had so many wounds that my antiseptic was empty by the time I was done. "Now to wrap you up like a mummy!" I said, grinning.

Siyeon didn't smile back, but at least she wasn't looking at me like I was a threat anymore. I took what I could get. I wrapped both of her arms and her midriff in gauze and bandage, using up most of my supply in the process.

"I'm going to get you some water to drink, and you're going to drink all of it, okay?"

Siyeon sniffed. "I'm not thirsty."

"You're the palest person I've ever seen, and you've lost a lot of blood. You're dehydrated, so you need to drink." I got her a glass of water and handed it to her.

She sipped on it gingerly.

"It's not poisoned, I promise. I only have one bed, but you're welcome to sleep here tonight if you don't have anywhere else to stay." I smiled again.

This time she smiled back. It was a small and hesitant one, but it was a smile. A warm feeling filled me.

I went around the corner, changed into my nightclothes, turned the lights off, and snuggled into my sheets. After a few moments I heard Siyeon place the glass on the bathroom floor. Her soft footsteps patted across the bathroom tiles onto the carpet of my apartment. Then she lifted the sheets and snuggled in next to me.

Don't get me wrong, she wasn't snuggling me, but she was awfully close. My bed, like my apartment, was designed for one person. There wasn't much wiggle room. Her front was almost pressed to my back. I could feel her breath tickle my neck. It was a long while before either of us fell asleep. I wasn't used to sharing my bed, and Siyeon was obviously winding down from a tense night, but she eventually fell asleep, her deep breaths filling my dark room.

After a while longer, so did I.


	3. In the Morning

When I woke on Saturday morning, she was still asleep. Her arms were wrapped around me. I could feel her lips on my neck. Her breath tickled my skin. Intimacy is nice and all, but it was all a little much for someone I'd just met.

Trying not to wake her, I extricated myself from her arms and got out of bed. It was barely 10am but my phone was already buzzing from the group chat. I yawned, rubbed some of the sleep from my eyes, and unlocked my phone.

It was the girls' group chat of course. 'The Dreamcatchers.' Corny, I know, but we liked it. From the conversation that was lighting up the chat, it looked like Yoohyeon had lost her jacket last night. While her jacket was important, I still had to interject. There was the question of the strange girl lying in my bed – a thought I had never expected to think, but new things happen every day, don't they?

I looked over my shoulder at Siyeon. She was a lot calmer asleep. Her face was still pale, but she was breathing normally, and it looked like the bandages had been enough to curb the bleeding. I don't know why, but something about her seemed...dangerous. Like she was a wild animal sleeping. I shook my head, clearing my head of those thoughts. She was just a girl who was in trouble, and I had decided to help her.

I messaged the group chat.

Bora: Sorry to interrupt guys but I have a strange woman in my bed from last night!

Gahyeon: :O

Minji: Wooooooaaahhhh!!

Bora: No, no, it's not like that! I found her bleeding in an alleyway and refused to be taken to the hospital for some reason, so I took her home and gave her some first-aid. She has no family or friends, so what do you guys think I should do?

Yoobin: That sounds suspicious.

Bora: I don't plan on adopting her, don't worry. I'm just not sure what I should do next. Kicking her out straight away doesn't seem like the right move to me. Is anyone free to meet up so we can talk about it?

Gahyeon: I am! I can help 😊

Bora: Haha, thank you, Gahyeon 😊

Yoobin: I am too.

Minji: Sorry, I'm about to go to the gym. Tell me what you guys decide though! 😊

Yoohyeon: I'll come too – but then you're all helping me find my jacket!

Bora: Handong? What about you?

Yoohyeon: I think she's still asleep XD

Bora: Just us then!

Minji: I'm surprised Gahyeon isn't sleeping

Gahyeon: Oh I haven't slept since last night!

Minji: But you should XD

Gahyeon: Don't tell me what to do >:(

Minji: Go to sleep, young lady!

Bora: LIVE YOUR DREAMS MY CHILD

Minji: Bora, you are NOT helping XD

Bora: Not trying to help 😉

Gahyeon: :DDDDD

By this point, Siyeon was beginning to stir, and I remembered what a mess my apartment was.

For a moment I looked around frantically, before deciding to run back and forth to grab my clothes and throw them all into a corner.

Siyeon yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, then propped herself up on one elbow. She eyed me with an air of faint amusement as I attempted to make things more presentable.

"Expecting a visitor?" she said.

"I already have a visitor," I replied. "She's lying in my bed."

Siyeon gracefully slid out bed and took a step towards me. I couldn't help but notice her torso was covered in nothing but bandages and her bra. She smirked. "Are you trying to impress me?"

I froze where I was, clothes still in hand. My heartbeat quickened. "What? No. Of course not."

Siyeon prowled towards me. "Of course not." Then she slid an arm around my waist. "With beauty like yours you don't need to try," she purred.

My hairs stood on end and I shivered at her touch. She was so close. My body was pressed up against her. I could smell a faint scent. It was sharp and pretty, just like her. And her eyes...they were simply brown. But there was something jagged in them, with edges covered in blood. To be honest I wasn't sure if I was scared or aroused, but it was all a bit much from someone I'd just met.

She was moving to kiss my neck when I gently extricated myself from her. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

Her face was once again blank, but I could sense her disappointment.

"I've only just met you. Maybe we can hang out a bit more and get to know each other."

Siyeon laughed. It was keen and clear. "So much effort. I hope you taste as good as you look."

I blushed hard. I honestly didn't know what to say to that, so I simply said, "Thanks."

A silence fell as I finished organising my clothes. Siyeon sat on the bed and watched me the entire time. She didn't fiddle, she didn't groan or complain or anything. Just watched. I know you're probably thinking she leered at me creepily, but it didn't feel like that. Her gaze was curious, like she had never seen a person fold clothes before.

I broke the silence first. "I'm going to meet up with my friends now. Do you have a place to stay? Anyone to stay with?"

"No to both," she said.

"Then you can stay here while I'm gone. Please don't make a mess, you literally just saw me clean it up a bit."

"I'm coming with you."

How would I tell her that I'm meeting my friends to talk about her? "Next time. A friend has a problem that needs sorting."

"All the more reason why I should come. I'm great at solving problems."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm sorry, but you can't. You have to stay here."

I was expecting her face to go blank again, but this time she was visibly sad. What was I supposed to do with her? I couldn't just toss her out. But she also had no-where else to go. She had no one. Except me.

I sighed. "Alright, you can come."

And Siyeon gave me the first honest smile I'd seen from her. It warmed my heart. After all that flirting she looked so innocent smiling brightly like that. I don't know what to say. It was cute.

I threw a top at her. "Put this on." I grabbed my own outfit for the day and went to the bathroom to change.


	4. Danger

It ended up being me, Siyeon, Yoohyeon, and Yoobin who met up that morning. Gahyeon had ended up listening to wisdom and had fallen asleep.

The rest of us went straight to one of the bars we'd been at last night to look for Yoohyeon's jacket. I couldn't exactly talk about Siyeon with my friends when she was right there, and there was a gleam in her eyes which I assumed was happiness, so I thought it best to leave it be for now.

The bar in question was one of the fancier ones, so the alcohol had been correspondingly pricey last night; but we had all planned and saved up a bit for the night out. Besides, the queen (me) deserves only the best.

It was closed when we arrived. Empty, save for the memory of last night's crowd. We stood outside at the doors.

"How are we going to get in?" asked Yoohyeon.

We all exchanged glances. None of us had thought of this.

"Maybe we can come here later," said Yoobin.

"But it's my favorite jacket," Yoohyeon pouted.

At this point, Siyeon interjected. "Why don't we just break in?"

"That's a crime! I don't want to become a criminal," I hissed.

"Aww," Siyeon pouted at me like she would a little puppy, "she's a good girl." She cupped my cheek. "Don't worry - I'll soon fix that." She winked as she slid away, leaving my face hot and my skin tingling where she touched me.

Yoohyeon and Yoobin exchanged a glance, the latter with an eyebrow raised.

Then Siyeon focused her eyes on the door.

"What are you going to do?" asked Yoohyeon.

Siyeon raised a finger at her. "Shh."

Yoohyeon flinched back and pursed her lips.

Everyone was silent as Siyeon stared at the door handle. The sounds of the city surrounded us. Cars rushed by, their tires swishing the water still on the road from last night's rain. People walked past us, some strolling, some bustling, and all of them uncaring about us four girls loitering before a bar that's closed.

At last, Siyeon's lips moved soundlessly. The air shimmered, then sparks burst from the lock on the door. Yoohyeon, Yoobin, and I startled at the sudden sound.

"What was that?" I gasped, clutching at the neck of my jacket.

Siyeon smiled. "Power." She shoved the door open and strode inside. "You two," she pointed at Yoohyeon and Yoobin, "check this area. Bora and I will check out back."

Yoohyeon and Yoobin exchanged another look before Yoobin replied, "Alright."

Without waiting for me, Siyeon headed behind the bar. I hurried on my admittedly shorter legs to catch up. "Wait. What game are you playing?" I said. "And what do you mean by 'power'? What the hell was that?"

Siyeon simply shrugged as she opened the door to head to the back. I followed her into what looked like a kitchen. Unlike the front of the bar, barely any of the daylight reached back here. Everything was a shadow only just highlighted by an edge of light.

I grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face me. "Answer me, please. Don't just walk away." I glared into her eyes. In the depths of the brown I saw the cogs turning. She was balancing whether or not she should tell me. Or how much to tell me. Or what could happen if she did tell me. But when her answer wasn't forthcoming, I pushed again. "After the help I gave you last night, you owe me some answers. Who are you, and why were you injured last night?"

Siyeon opened her mouth to answer when a thump sounded from beyond a pair of double doors at the back of the kitchen. She shook her arm free of my hand.

My heart was in my throat. I didn't want to be caught.

What surprised me, though, was that Siyeon looked just as nervous as I did, if not more. Sweat beaded down the side of her face. Her breathing was shallow, and she was poised as if to run. Or fight. She had 'power' though. Why should she be scared?

And then I heard a voice: "Return it to us. Return what you stole."

It was low and slithering, but it echoed through my bones. It seemed to speak directly into my head. After quickly glancing at Siyeon, it seemed like it spoke directly to her too. I was frozen. What was I supposed to do? I was confused, yes, but that confusion was beginning to give way to a mounting terror. What was happening? Of course I wondered, but I dared not ask. Maybe if I stayed frozen and kept my mouth shut, nothing would happen. But that was not to be.

Siyeon snapped me out of my stupor. "Run!" she yelled. She grabbed my hand and dragged me back out to the front of the bar, and despite my terror I immediately noticed something odd.

It was night-time.

The bar was packed with people, and my friends were no-where in sight.

I didn't have time to question it though. More thumping sounded from the kitchen behind us. Siyeon and I shoved our way through the crowd towards the entrance. People were angry. They glared and yelled and swore at us for all their spilled drinks and interrupted conversations.

The door to the kitchen burst open, and creatures of darkness stalked into the bar. I say darkness, but it was like...

You know black holes? How their gravity is so strong that even light and time is warped by them? They were like that. They were like creature-shaped holes punched into the fabric of reality, and the world around their forms was twisted and warped. But the strangest thing was that nobody seemed to notice them. Apparently only Siyeon and I could see them.

Siyeon and I sprinted out into the dark. The creatures gave chase.

As we ran down the street away from the creatures, Siyeon said to me, "I need you to keep them busy. I've got a plan!" And with that, she vanished in a flash of red light.

I panicked at this point. I had no idea what the hell was happening. I pick up a girl off the streets and then next thing I know she's got some power and these weird, reality-defying creatures are chasing us- no, me. She left me. She left me alone in the dark.

I screamed, and tears streamed uncontrollably. I didn't know what was going on. I begged to wake up from this nightmare. I didn't know how long I'd been running for. Time lost meaning in my world of fear. It could have been a minute, or an hour, or a year.

And then Siyeon was back with another flash of red light in front of me, with a knife in hand. I tried to stop suddenly, but I tripped over my feet. As I fell, Siyeon carved a line with the knife from her feet up. She didn't cut herself, no. She sliced the skin of the universe open and I fell right through, head over heels.


	5. Sickness

I tumbled out onto a soggy, muddy field of grass. The sky was dark grey and pouring rain. I had been there for mere seconds and I was already shivering.

Siyeon stood close by, her arms crossed. I looked at her. She gazed back at me. She did not help me up.

With a grunt I made my way to my feet. "Where are we?" I asked, my teeth chattering.

Siyeon shrugged. "I don't actually know." Then she giggled.

"What is so funny?" I demanded, my voice getting louder. "We're in the middle of no-where, we just got chased by these- these things, and you're standing there laughing. What is wrong with you?" By the time I finished I was yelling.

Siyeon's giggling stopped. And then she collapsed in front of me for the second time.

I knelt and shook her shoulders. "Hey, wake up. You like the drama don't you? Just wake up, we have to find some cover."

But she didn't. She was still breathing, thankfully. But completely unresponsive. I needed her awake so she could take me back home. My friends would have no idea what happened to me. They were probably so worried. A pang of guilt made my stomach flop. I sighed. There wasn't anything I could do right now.

Instead I was stuck in the middle of no-where with an unconscious girl with powers. Great.

The rain continued drenching us, showing no signs of stopping. I was soaked through to the skin and cold shivers racked my body. We had to find some cover. I scanned the environment around us.

We were in a muddy meadow, but in the distance I spotted a forest shrouded in low-lying mist. Ominous, I know, but we needed shelter, so I hooked my arms under Siyeon's and dragged her through the mud all the way to the forest.

I was puffing and panting when we reached the trees. Small bits of rain still slipped through the canopy, but most of the water was droplets falling from the leaves of the forest. It was also rather dim. The trees' canopy shrouded the forest floor from the light above, and was blanketed in a thick mist. We could lose ourselves in this forest if we weren't careful.

I slid Siyeon up against a tree, then slumped beside her, gasping oxygen. It had been too long since I'd been to the gym.

Droplets of water pitter-pattered on my face. I shivered. What now?

I needed answers, so I shook the girl next to me. She stirred with a groan.

"Let me sleep," she mumbled.

"I can't. I need answers," I said.

Suddenly Siyeon was wide awake. She stared at me. "What answers?"

"All of them," I replied. "I've got a few questions. Just a few."


	6. Together

I sat next to Siyeon against the thick, damp tree trunk. Despite the mist I could see her clearly. Her eyes were shining in the dim forest light. She looked at me apprehensively, as if I were about to shout at her, and honestly, I wanted to. I wanted to rant about the trouble she's brought into my life, how everything has been disrupted, how I wish I had never decided to help her.

But as I gazed at her, I felt something else too, stronger than that anger. I saw her apprehension. I saw her breathing on the brink of hyperventilating. Unshed tears lined her eyes, which both had bags. She looked exhausted. She was just as scared as I was. I remembered her wounds that I had treated. She was being chased and almost killed. I was caught up in it because I helped her. Imagine if she had been taken to hospital? How many people would have been caught up in this then?

And just like that, my anger left me. I deflated.

"Siyeon," I said gently, "what is happening?"

Siyeon let out a sigh of relief. "It's really complicated."

"Do your best to explain, and I'll pay attention. Please." I gave her my best cute pout. It seemed to work, because she sighed again and began to explain.

"I...stole something. I'm a thief," she said. "And a witch. I learned from my parents the powers I possess. What I stole is this." A book materialised in her hand. It was black, heavy, and bound with chains that were sealed by a skull-shaped lock.

I looked at the book, then back at her. "What's that?"

Siyeon rolled her eyes. "A book, dummy."

"I know that, I meant what's in it? Spells? potions?"

"Secrets. In particular, secrets that will help me unlock a power that other witches have only dreamed of."

I raised an eyebrow. "Power means that much to you?"

"Hey, you don't get to judge me," Siyeon snapped. "You don't know anything about what I've been through, who I am. Just know that this is necessary, and I would give anything for it."

"Even your life?"

"Yes.

"Even mine?"

She looked down at her fiddling hands. "I don't know," she said in a low voice.

"At least you're honest," I said. "You can teleport and stuff...can you please take me back home?"

"I will as soon as I can. I'm pretty spent at the moment, I'll need time to get my strength back."

I bit my lip. "Fair enough. Do you have a time estimate?"

"No. It could be a day. Could be longer."

"Then we should find a place to stay."

Siyeon sighed, but she nodded. Placing a hand on my head, she pushed herself onto her feet.

"Hey!" I swatted her hand away. She smirked. My insides fluttered. "Do you know a place to stay?" I asked as I stood up too.

Siyeon put her hands on her hips. "Not in the slightest."

I shrugged. "Then let's just walk in a direction until we find something."

"Sounds good to me."

We walked in silence, grass and dead leaves crunching underfoot. Our breath came in mist. I hugged myself as another little shiver ran through me.

Siyeon broke that silence before too long. "What else do you want to know?"

"What were those creatures? And where did you steal that book from?"

"I suppose I should start from the beginning. That should answer most of your questions."

"Wonderful."

"Hey, you asked for it."

"That's true."

"So," Siyeon took a deep breath, "there's this house. A house like no other. It is the source of all magic. It's where my parents got their powers, and how they gave me mine."

I suddenly had even more questions. How exactly did that house give powers? Could anyone get those powers? Or are there special requirements? Is there a ritual? But I kept quiet and decided to wait until after she was done talking.

"This house is special for several reasons," Siyeon continued. "Firstly, it exists outside reality."

"It what now?"

"You heard me. Outside of reality."

"But how does that work?"

"It simply is. There's a lot us mere mortals can't begin to understand. Picture it as being in another dimension or something if that helps. But it's nothing like that."

"Okay..."

"This house is called the House of Nightmares. Those creatures you saw earlier? Those are said Nightmares. They're guardians and custodians of the House. Like librarians but less scary."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. Siyeon smiled in response. And I liked it. Her smile was cute. "You say they're like librarians...does that make the House a library?" I asked.

"Of sorts. It's much more than that, being a fountain of all the magic in the universe, but for the sake of simplicity, yes. It's a library, and I took a book without permission."

"Why?"

Siyeon began fiddling. She looked down at her hands and bit her lip. "Because I'm a thief."

I took one of her hands in mine, my thumb stroking the back of her hand. "Why are you a thief? What do you want to do with the book you stole?"

Siyeon was silent for so long I didn't think she would answer. But after several moments, she said in a small voice, "To bring my parents back."

"Oh."

"Don't judge me."

I pulled her in and hugged her tightly. She was initially stiff. Then she relaxed into me and put her arms around me in turn. "I'm not judging you, okay? I would do the same thing in your position."

"You would?" Siyeon's voice was muffled against my shoulder. I was so cold and she was so warm. I didn't want the hug to be over, but of course it had to end sometime.

I let her go and looked deep into her eyes. Her brown eyes. Soft and gentle. And I smiled "I would, Siyeon. It's okay."

She smiled that cute smile of hers again. "Okay."

We resumed walking.


	7. Mirror

We ended up walking for hours. Night had fallen in that time, making the mist even more eerie. A pit of dread had settled in my stomach. I could see barely twenty meters ahead. Where were we? How do I get home? What about my friends?

On top of this, Siyeon had fainted again. This time I had managed to catch her in my arms, and I had been dragging her with her arm around my shoulders for the last hour or so. My legs were burning from the effort. I was exhausted.

It's at this point in the story that we run into a lonely little cottage in the forest. I'm sure you've heard all the fairy tales about lonely little cottages in forests. Do not enter unless you want to be boiled alive by a witch. But this wasn't a fairy tale. It was real life. With real magic, and a real witch slung around my shoulder.

So instead of being afraid, I almost cried with relief.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Hey, is anyone in there?"

The lights were glowing out the windows, so I was sure there was.

"Hey!" I screamed. Then I saw a shape move inside the house. "Yes!"

An elderly man opened the door. He had a weathered, grizzled look about him. His posture was straight and tall. He needed no cane. He glared at me with sharp eyes. "What?" he asked, not unkindly to my surprise.

"We're lost and my friend fainted. Can you help us?"

The old man sighed, frowned, and pinched his brow. He stayed like that for a few moments. Then he said, "Alright, come in." He motioned with his hand and walked back inside.

Not waiting for him to change his mind, I hurried to follow him.

His cottage was a cute little affair. Wooden chairs and table. A soft plush couch. TV. Warmth. Food. He lay Siyeon on the couch and motioned for me to sit at the table. His dinner was already on the table. He went to his little kitchen and served up another plate for me.

We both sat down. I was eager to dig into the chicken and veges he'd served for me, but he asked me the one question I was hoping he wouldn't ask: "How did you get here?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to ask who we are?"

"I don't care who you are. How did you get here?"

"Umm..." I stuffed my mouth full of food, using the chewing time to think of my response. Obviously he wanted to know how we ended up in this forest, why we were even in this forest, all of that. But he wouldn't believe a cent of it. I didn't know what to say, so when I finally swallowed my mouthful I decided honesty was the best policy. "I don't know how we ended up in this forest. I don't know where we are. I just woke up in it with my friend and stumbled until I found you."

The man nodded. "What happened before you woke up here?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I don't know. We won't be any trouble though, I promise. Where are we?"

The man shrugged. "I don't know how you folk got here. I don't know how to begin explaining it."

My heart fell. "Oh."

"But you're safe enough in this cottage. Just don't go outside, especially at night. Stay here for the night, but then you've got to be gone in the morning."

"Why can't we stay here longer?"

The man put his knife and fork down and looked directly into my eyes. "Because I know who you are, and more importantly, who she is. I've got to appear neutral."

I felt panic rising. In my chest. Or was that my food? "I don't know what to do."

The man shrugged and resumed eating. "Sorry. That's just how it is."

I dropped my knife and fork and ran to the bathroom. I was hyperventilating. I was dizzy. I didn't know what to do. I was lost, and my only friend was an unconscious witch I'd met yesterday. I ran to the man's bathroom, to the basin, and braced myself to throw up. I looked in the mirror. My eyes had dark shadows. My face was pale and thin. And I did not look happy.

Then I retched and began throwing up. I threw up all of the man's dinner, and then I retched air for a few minutes more. Then I cleaned myself up.

I looked at myself in the mirror again. What a mess.

And then I was smiling. I mean I wasn't, but I was. My reflection was, but I wasn't.

I frowned. What? Just- I don't- ... What??

The smile was friendly at first, but then it turned dangerous. The way Siyeon's did. That look that made me want to let her do all sorts of things to me. I'm lost in the woods, and she's baring her teeth. I wish it was Siyeon instead of my reflection.

Still, I couldn't help but squint. I leaned forward, hoping to get a better look.

My reflection was smirking. Beckoning me with a finger. My chest buzzed. Was she me? Was she who I could be?

I leaned forward further, entranced. Who was she?

My reflection leaned forward too, puckering her lips, which were suddenly painted a dark red.

Oh? My heart fluttered. I never knew I loved myself this much. My first kiss would be with myself. I didn't know what to think about it, but at that moment I didn't care. I just wanted to taste her.

So I leaned forward completely and kissed her. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, but all I felt was cold glass. And then I fell forward, head over heels, into the mirror.


	8. Alone

I tumbled out of the mirror into my bathroom. It hurt. I hit my head on the sink and several parts of my body had bumped the wall or the floor. I was definitely going to have bruises.

Lying face-down on the floor of my own bathroom, I slowly raised my head, wincing at the pain. Blocking the way to my bed was a Nightmare. It appeared like the ones I saw before. A gaping hole in the world in front of me with reality twisted around it.

I should have been scared or shocked but at this point I didn't think anything would faze me anymore. Instead, I painstakingly got to my feet and asked, "What do you want from me? Siyeon is the one who has the book."

The Nightmare jabbed a finger at me and spoke in that same dark, resonating voice. "Never speak of this to anyone."

I shrugged. "Not a problem."

Then the Nightmare rammed my gut with its finger. It wasn't blunt like a normal finger. It ripped through my skin and into my gut. I doubled over, blood leaking from my belly, then collapsed onto my knees, desperately clutching my wound.

"Stay away from Siyeon, from the book, from all of this. If we see you near her again, we will kill you."

I was too busy gasping in agony to respond.

The Nightmare strode past me and melted into my mirror. When it was gone, I fished my phone from my pocket and called the ambulance.

When they arrived, I was curled up in the fetal position in the bathroom in a pool of my own blood. I gazed blankly at the wall, at the paramedics, at myself. They asked me questions. I barely responded, and I can't remember what I said. The usual things I guess.

I passed out shortly after they loaded me into the ambulance. The next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital bed dressed in one of those gowns. I blinked several times, adjusting to the white, glaring light. There was a vitals monitor next to the bed that I was hooked up to, along with a bag of IV fluids. Mine was the only bed in the room. No one was with me. I was alone.

On the table next to my bed lay a vase of flowers, a card, and a box of chocolates. With a grunt and a pang of pain in my stomach, I reached over and grabbed the card. I opened it.

It read:

"Our dearest Bora,

We don't know what happened to you these last few days or where you've been, but we've been really worried. Although these aren't the circumstances we'd hoped to find you in, we're glad we know where you are now, and the doctors say you're going to be okay. We'll come back later. We have a lot of questions, but before all that, we want you to know that we love you so much and we're so happy that you're going to be okay. xoxo

With lots of love,

DREAMCATCHER~ (Minji, Yoohyeon, Yoobin, Gahyeon, and Handong) <3"

I frowned. How long had I been away with Siyeon? With another grunt, I reached over and checked my phone. Now that I was back on good old planet Earth, my phone had signal again. Now I could receive my messages, and my phone had plenty. All from my friends. I wanted to cry. They had no idea where I had been. They had been so worried. I sniffled.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." Then I broke down into silent tears, curled up into a ball, and cried myself back to sleep.

When I woke again, an indeterminate amount of time later, they were there. All five of them, smiling at me.

Yoohyeon was the first to break the silence. As soon as she saw that I was awake she pulled me into a tight hug. "Bora!"

I yelped, my stomach wound stabbing pain throughout my body.

Yoohyeon let me go gingerly. "Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm just...really glad to see you're okay."

I couldn't help but grin. "I'm so happy to see you guys, you have no idea."

They all grinned back at me. We simply grinned at each other for a solid, like, minute or two? It was a while of just, grinning at each other. Absolute dorks, I know. I don't think they knew what to say. I didn't blame them; neither did I.

Then Yoobin was the next to speak. "I don't want to be the one to ruin the moment but where have you been?"

My smile faded. Everyone else's smiles became forced.

"We are a bit curious," said Minji, twirling the ends of her hair.

"I don't really know how to describe it," I said.

"The last we heard from you, you wanted to talk about a girl. Does it have something to do with her?" Gahyeon asked.

"Yes! Yes it does," I said. "Her name is Siyeon. She stole something and is on the run, and I got caught up in it. Hence the stab wound."

Handong put a hand to her mouth. "You mean she's a criminal?"

I shrugged. "I mean, of a sort. But she's a good person, really." I smiled sheepishly, but I knew I wasn't convincing any of them.

Yoobin crossed her arms. "Bora, spending time with her landed you in the hospital with a stab wound to your stomach. Now I'm all for a good shag, but..."

"Wait, no," I said sharply, "she spent the night in my bed, we did not have sex."

"Then why are you blushing? You clearly have a thing for the rough type," said Gahyeon, smirking.

"Gah!" I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands.

"Alright, that's enough!" said Minji. "She needs rest, let's not antagonize her," she smirked at me, "for now."

I gave her a thumbs up. "Thanks, captain."

We chatted about this and that for a bit longer, but all too soon fatigue creeped up on me again. They waved goodbye with promises to come see me again soon. I knew they still had to work, and this visit probably made them spend one of their sick days. They were the best friends I could ever ask for.

I closed my eyes and curled up, feeling warm. I still had them. They were still here for me. I vowed to myself I would never let them down again. The last thing I wanted was to be a bad friend.

Still, as I drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Siyeon arose unbidden in my mind. Not my friends. Siyeon. I saw her smirk, her brown eyes. They were dangerous and soft. They made me feel something I couldn't describe. I felt her touch, the way she snuggled into me that night I met her. I remembered her laugh, her fear, her smile. I had barely known her for a day or two. Why did I miss her already?


	9. Yearning

It didn't take too long for me to be discharged from hospital. The doctors said the repair was a simple job and I suffered no complications. I was sent home with some tablets and a medical certificate explaining to my workplaces why I had been gone for so long.

My bosses at my primary job as a law firm receptionist were understanding. Once I told them I had been stabbed in the stomach during a mugging, they congratulated me on my recovery and welcomed me back to work. My side gig at the theatre, however, was more strict. I was a lighting technician - a very crucial role. But I wanted to be one of the dancers. I had been dancing for most of my life, and I even had a crew that I danced with when I wasn't working or with my friends. It is also difficult to be one of the dancers, so I settled with watching, waiting, until one day I could achieve my dream. Still, they had to accept my certificate, regardless of their grumbling.

Soon enough, life returned to normal. I worked. I ate. I slept. I spent time with my friends. I danced with my crew. I danced at home alone. All the usual things I had been doing for ages. But they had all lost their color somehow. It was like the moisture had evaporated from all the paints on my palette, leaving nothing but dry, grainy powder. Where was the water? Where was the life? I had lived like this for years? My mind couldn't comprehend it.

My friends, of course, were brilliant. They knew something was up, and they did their best to lift me up. Bring me back to normal. They are the best friends I could ask for, which was why guilt ate at my stomach. No matter what they did, I wasn't quite satisfied. And they knew where my mind was at. They knew what I was thinking of.

Siyeon.

I just couldn't forget her. Or the Nightmares. Or any of those things that had happened. With no real outlet for it, how could I? No one would believe me. I had to settle for that mugging story. My friends thought I should be over it after a month or two. But I wasn't. I had seen things. I traveled into what might have been another dimension. I spoke with beings who escaped my comprehension. I met a real live witch.

And I had nobody to turn to.

My friends suggested that I see a doctor about this, and I agreed. I didn't want them to be frustrated with me. I saw the doctor alone. He referred me for therapy. I didn't want to go, but Minji urged me over and over. Eventually I gave in.

It was Minji who took me to my first psychologist's appointment. She held my hand while I haltingly went through my made up story again. Oh, the mugger had a knife. I was so scared. Minji gazed at me with such compassion I wanted to melt. And all the while the guilt ate my insides at all the lies I was weaving. Because if I told the truth, I would be called crazy. I would lose my friends for sure. There was nothing to be done but to get over it.

After a while longer, I did. The solution I had decided on was to tell the truth, but rationalizing it as a metaphor for what I felt. That way everyone listened to me properly. I could finally say what I wanted to say. And no-one called me a loony.

Once I was able to do that, everything felt a lot lighter. Freer. I could finally begin to move on.

Sometimes I wish I could say that the story ended there. But it didn't.

One night, as I was curling up into bed, I heard a knock on the door. My immediate thought was Minji. Or Yoohyeon. They usually had some sort of trouble brewing.

I got out of bed, scratched my head, and made my way to my door. The knocking came again, more vigorously this time.

"Alright, I'm coming!" I called.

When I opened the door, I gasped.

It was Siyeon. She stood there in front of me like a vision from a fairy-tale. The lights in the hallway shone through and highlighted her hair. Her soft brown eyes were dancing with mirth, as if she knew the answer to the most difficult riddle in the world. And her smile, oh her smile...gentle. Warm. Earnest. I don't know how to describe all of this. And she was looking right at me.

I gave a shy smile in return. "Hey," I said, fiddling with my hair.

Siyeon simply held her hand out. "Come with me."

I felt her energy thrum through the air. I felt it in my chest, in my throat, in my bones. All it took was one quick glance around me to make up my mind.

I placed my hand in hers. "Okay."

And we vanished together in a flash of red light.


	10. Gelato

In a flash of red light, Siyeon and I appeared in a large open square surrounded on three sides by magnificent, renaissance Italian architecture, and sparkling blue ocean on the remaining side. It was late afternoon. The sun was hanging low in the sky, casting its golden glow horizontally across the earth.

Despite the beauty, the first thing I looked at was Siyeon. With the way the sun shone on her face, she was a picture I could sit and paint for hours, tracing her contours with the tips of my fingers. She was marble and radiant, a pristine work of art.

And then she laughed loudly, snorting with every intake of breath.

I blushed. "What? What is it?"

She pointed at me while she laughed. "Your face."

"Wait, what? Is there something on it? This is why you should warn me before you do something like this!"

"No, dummy. That look on your face was the cutest thing I've ever seen." Her laughter had subsided, and she was smiling at me now in the gentle way that made my insides melt. She took my hand and dragged me along with her. "Come on."

I hurried along to keep up with her. "Where are we? Is this Italy?"

"Not just Italy, my good lady, but San Marco's Square, Venice. Venezia! The city of romance. And we're off to get some gelato!"

It was my turn to laugh. "You're planning to romance me with gelato?"

Siyeon looked at me, uncertain. "Why? Isn't that good?"

I placed my free hand on her arm and grinned at her. "No, it's perfect."

She grinned back at me and we walked hand in hand to the gelato store Siyeon had in mind. Along the way I gawked at the city around me. It was so beautiful. Just like those old romantic European paintings you see in textbooks. I never thought it'd be so real. I knew I would remember this forever.

"I have a question," I said.

"Hmm?"

"Why is there so much bird poop?"

"The pigeons," replied Siyeon, a serious expression on her face. "They're dangerous."

I laughed. "Of course they are."

Siyeon shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

I frowned for a moment as I pondered what she might have meant, but before too long we reached the gelato place. It was at that moment I suddenly realized I was still in my pajamas and fluffy slippers.

"Siyeon!" I hissed.

She looked at me. "Hmm?"

"I'm still in my nightclothes!"

She pinched my cheeks. "And they make you look so adorable!"

I slapped her hands away. "No, I'm...I'm in Venice for the first time in my life, and I'm in my pajamas!"

Siyeon laughed. "It's weird and wonderful isn't it? Just what life should be!"

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling. "I suppose you're right."

Siyeon bought both of us a double-scoop of gelato. Mine was chocolate and strawberry. Hers was lemon and mint. We walked back to San Marco square and sat on a bench, watching the people, the birds, and the sun while we licked our gelatos. Let me tell you, gelatos are wonderful. Much better than the ice cream you get in a supermarket. It tasted like they used proper ingredients. Like, the strawberry gelato used actual strawberries in it. Wonderful.

It was so peaceful. My heart felt light and free, like a leaf on the breeze drifting through the magnificent square before me. I turned to look at Siyeon. She was already looking at me.

"I bet you have a lot of questions about my magic," she said.

I leaned forward and rested my chin on my hand. "I do, but I want to know more about you first."

Siyeon's lips quirked up into a cute little smile. "You do?"

"Of course, you cute thing!" I gently booped her nose. She briefly scrunched her nose. "Where are you from for starters?"

"Seoul. My parents wanted me to have a good upbringing with lots of opportunities that only the city can provide."

I nodded. "That makes sense."

I noticed Siyeon was fiddling with her fingers, and she was strangely quiet.

After a moment I asked, "Are you feeling nervous?"

Siyeon shrugged. "A little, I guess."

I laughed. "Why? You took me on the best first date ever! You should be blazing with confidence!"

"Well, that is true. I just didn't expect to be talking about myself."

I took her hand in mine. "Is that a bad thing?"

"I was hoping to impress you with my magic, and all this." Siyeon gestured to Venice in general.

"You don't need that to impress me." When Siyeon's response wasn't forthcoming, I said, "Don't worry if you're not comfortable sharing things yet. I won't pressure you. Can you show me how your magic works?"

Siyeon met my eyes at that. "Why, yes I can, my lady. But I think we need to go somewhere more private for this chat."

I raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"My parents' house." She held out her arm.

I linked my arm with hers and we disappeared again in another flash of red light.


	11. A Magical Night

Siyeon and I appeared in a flash of red light. I blinked my eyes several times and looked around.

We stood in the middle of a room. On one side was a bookshelf with a desk and chair in front of it. The desk was laden with open books, paper, and ink quills. On one adjacent side was a staircase leading up to...somewhere. But the other two sides were completely open and exposed.

To what, I hear you ask? To nothing. Outside this place was nothing but open space. Vast nebulas of swirling colors were strewn against the backdrop, casting this place in a soft, iridescent glow.

There were also numerous candles simply floating in the air around the room. All in all, this place was magical.

Siyeon grinned at me. "It's pretty great, huh?"

"What is this place?" I breathed, still gawking.

Siyeon idly strolled around the room. "It's my parent's house. They made it as a safe haven for our family when I was born. It's in a little pocket dimension far away from prying eyes."

"Is it safe from Nightmares?"

"Of course! My parents were the best magicians in the world!" Siyeon said with a flourish.

"Wait a second. You said pocket dimension? The last time we met, were we in a pocket dimension too?"

"Well, a dimension. It was a full and proper one. Wild. And dangerous. This dimension, however..." Siyeon walked over to the desk and grabbed one of the open books. She flipped through it before pinching a page between her thumb and forefinger. "Imagine this page is one dimension. And the next page is another, and so on and so forth."

"This dimension is one of those pages?"

"No, of course not! This dimension is this tennis ball all the way over here," she said waving a tennis ball above her head.

Where had that ball come from? Magic. Of course. I had to know... "Siyeon, how does your magic work?"

Siyeon strode to the stairs, then looked over her shoulder. "Come upstairs with me and find out." She smirked again. That dangerous smirk of hers that made me shiver. This time I knew it wasn't from fear.

I followed her up the stairs, enthralled by the sway of her hips with each step. We arrive upstairs. It was a notably larger room that was closed in by walls on all four sides. But the roof was open. The infinite majesty of deep space stretched above, like a canvas painted by magic itself. This room had everything. A kitchen. A small sub-room in the corner for the bathroom. Couches. A bed.

Siyeon took my hand and led me to a couch. She sat me down next to her. Our eyes never left each other's as we sat. We were both smiling, eyes glittering.

I looked into those deep brown eyes of hers and said, "This is magical."

Siyeon giggled. "Yes, it is."

"How does this all happen? Where does your magic come from? There must be some kind of fuel or battery or something."

"There is. It's the House of Nightmares."

"The House? Then how come the Nightmares don't come running every time you use magic? Surely they can feel when magic is being used."

Siyeon waggled a finger at me. "Ah, you're mistaken. The Nightmares are of the House. They are not part of the House, no?"

I stared blankly for a moment. "Huh?"

Siyeon smiled warmly. "They come from the House. They belong to the House. They love the House, even. But they are not magically linked to it in any way. They cannot feel what the House does. They cannot know the mischief I conjure."

I giggled. "You've been pulling lots of mischief since I first met you. Speaking of, I haven't seen you for months! Where have you been?"

"I've been running. Hiding. And gathering my power."

"Collecting it from the House?"

"No, I have my magic because I have a connection to the House. My magic comes through that link, and I spent most of these months strengthening that link. Widening it, so more magic per second can flow to me. All to return here. To my home. This is the first time I've been here since my parents died."

I squeezed her hand in mine. I wanted to say something comforting but I didn't know what to say. Siyeon was so skittish I didn't want to scare her off by probing. Especially on a sensitive topic like this. So I simply stayed silent and looked at her. She didn't have to talk - but if she wanted to, she could.

She didn't. Instead she sighed and said, "And I'm also trying to figure out how to unlock the book. I'm much more powerful now than when we first met."

I took her cue to move on. "So your power is like a water tank and you're a tap?"

"Sort of, if that helps you. But it's nothing like that."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "Of course it isn't."

"You must have missed me over those months."

I pouted. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. I can tell."

I raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"By the way you're resting your hand in mine." Siyeon began to lean closer to me. "By the way I can feel your pulse quickening now."

"Is it? How very observant."

"I can also tell because you're blushing. But you're not moving away. You're leaning towards me too."

"I am," I breathed. "I did miss you."

Siyeon smirked. My insides quivered. "I know," she murmured, "because I missed you too, Bora."

My heart leapt, and I grinned.

Our faces were so close now. Breaths dusted each other's faces. Half-lidded eyes glanced at each other's lips. We both knew what we wanted. And at last I gave in.

I closed my eyes. I felt Siyeon cup my face, thumb stroking my cheek. Her touch was electrifying. My skin buzzed where she touched. I leaned into her hand. Siyeon gently pulled me in.

And kissed me.

Fireworks exploded behind my eyes. A searing heat poured through me, setting my heart alight. Her lips were so soft, moving slowly against mine. Not knowing what to do I copied her movements and matched her rhythm. She was so close. And warm. Her hand caressing my face. My chest fluttered. I felt so safe. I could stay in this secret place with her forever.

I felt her press herself against me. I let her push me over until I was lying on the couch with her on top of me. Her tongue flitted against my lips, so I flitted mine against hers.

Siyeon deepened the kiss. Her tongue pushed in and began exploring my mouth. I let her in, and used the opportunity to try and explore hers too. It was my first kiss, so it was clumsy at first. I was doing this. She was doing that. But after a short while we found our rhythm, and a small moan escaped my throat. She smelled sweeter than a flower in springtime. Tasted sweeter than strawberries and cream. I could feel her heart beating against mine. This moment was perfect. It is forever in my heart.

Then her hand creeped under my shirt on my stomach. I startled and pulled away. "Wait, what are you doing?"

Siyeon pulled away too, hands raised. "Oh, I though- I'm sorry. I thought we were- "

I sat up, facing Siyeon. I waved her off. "No, no we are, I just- "

"You're not ready to go that far."

"Yes."

Siyeon breathed a massive sigh. "I thought you didn't like me for a second there."

It was my turn to pull her against me now. "Of course I like you." I kissed her lips. "I just...that was my first kiss."

Siyeon gawked at me. "That was your first? No way."

I laughed. "Yes way!"

"But it was so good!"

I flipped my hair proudly. "That's because I'm so good."

"Yeah, you are."

I suddenly sat up straight. "Wait. What time is it here? Does time happen here?"

"Yes, it does. Congruent with our home dimension, with Earth. Why?"

"I can't be late for work!"

Siyeon laughed. "No, we can't have that." She stood and held out her arm again. "M'lady."

I stood and linked my arm with hers. We disappeared together in a flash of red light.


	12. Here

Siyeon and I appeared in my apartment in a flash of red light. There were still a few hours left before I had to go to work, but I needed to sleep too. My curtains were still open. The full moon blanketed my room with its soft glow. Siyeon was gazing at it, her brown eyes pensive. I wondered what she was thinking about. Her mind was so mysterious to me. So fascinating.

Siyeon waited as I went to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. She was there as I closed my curtains and snuggled into bed. Sitting on the side of my bed, she held my hand and stroked my hair ever so softly until I fell asleep.

When I woke in the morning, she was gone. This time, however, the emptiness wasn't there. In fact, everything was beautiful, vibrant. The colors were fuller, like the cameraman had saturated his film. This time, I knew what Siyeon felt towards me was real. I knew she would come back for me when she could.

I went to my work at that law firm as per usual. My usual hours with my usual co-workers. We talked and laughed at lame jokes. There was also some gossiping that I'm ashamed to say I participated in. But hey, I'm only human, right?

Then work was done for the day, and it was time to get ready for Gahyeon's movie night. By 'get ready' I mean 'pack my pajamas' and 'bring the popcorn'. Caramel popcorn. Delicious. I also brought my giant plush elephant for good measure.

It was night by the time I finally took the bus to Gahyeon's apartment. I entered the building, went up the stairwell, and came out onto Gahyeon's floor. As I walked along the doors, I noticed the end of the hallway was shrouded in shadow. The lights were broken there. Gahyeon really should move somewhere better. If only money wasn't an issue.

At the end of the hallway, there was shadow. Waiting. I squinted harder. I couldn't tell if it was normal shadow or a Nightmare. Still, my pulse spiked, and beads of sweat dripped down the back of my neck. I walked faster to Gahyeon's door. This time there was definitely movement. That was no normal shadow.

I broke into a run. I reach Gahyeon's door and knocked frantically. "Gahyeon! Let me in! Please!"

The shadow moved closer, swallowing the hallway's lights. The world twisted around it. I remembered the Nightmare from my bathroom. Its threat. Its finger stabbing through my gut.

"Gahyeon, please!" I screamed, slamming her door with my hand. I didn't want to die.

The door opened, revealing a perplexed Gahyeon in pajamas. "Bora, what- "

I pushed past her and slammed the door, jamming all the locks into place. I leaned against the door. My chest was heaving. When had I started hyperventilating?

Minji was also there, in her own pajamas on Gahyeon's bed. She got up and raced to me. "Bora, are you okay? What happened? Come sit down."

With their arms around me, Minji and Gahyeon escorted me to the bed and sat beside me.

"Bora, are you okay?" Minji asked.

I nodded, still calming my breathing. "Yeah, I thought I saw...never mind."

"Was it to do with...what happened? With Siyeon and those muggers?" she prodded gently.

I nodded again.

"It was a flashback," said Gahyeon.

"Yeah," I said. "It must have been." I exhaled. "I'll be fine. We're gonna have fun tonight!" I beamed at them, and sprung to the bathroom to change into my pajamas too.

We watched a fairly unknown movie. It was straight-to-DVD, so it was honestly terrible. But in the good way. The way that my friends and I spent the night laughing at while munching on our favorite foods. It wasn't long before all my tension melted away. The Nightmares were nothing. My fear was nothing. Everything was okay. But there was one thing that lingered still.

Siyeon, and our kiss amidst the celestial heavens. The heat of her. It burned through me. I felt so alive. The mere thought of her set my heart racing. I could smell her perfume. Her hand caressing me.

Then my thoughts drifted to the book she stole. It was still locked, and she was hunting for the key. What was in the book? I still didn't know. All I knew was that it had a part to play in bringing her parents back. I was just glad she could be safe in her family's house now.

"Hey, Bora. Earth to Bora!"

Minji was waving her hand in front of my face.

I startled. "Huh?"

"You in there?" Minji said, giggling.

"She's having another flashback," said Gahyeon through a mouthful of wedges.

Minji shushed her.

I shook my head. "No, not another flashback. I was," I hesitated, "I was thinking about Siyeon.

At that, Minji visibly deflated. "Oh, Bora."

I raised my hands. "I know, I know, she's trouble. I was over her, I swear. But..."

"But?" Minji prompted. "What happened?"

"Don't be mad, please," I said.

"I won't be. Just tell me."

"Siyeon visited me last night."

"Ooooohh," Gahyeon teased.

I threw her a look.

"Oh, Bora. Please tell me you turned her away," said Minji.

I shrugged, fidgeted, and avoided Minji's eyes. "We may have...possibly...made out."

"Yes!" Gahyeon crowed.

"Just eat your wedges!" said Minji crossly.

Chastised, Gahyeon deflated and put another wedge in her mouth.

"Months of therapy, Bora. That's what she put you through. Why did you let her in again?" said Minji.

I didn't have an answer. How could I make her understand? "She's a good person, Minji."

"But you're not safe with her. She's a criminal! She's the reason you got stabbed in the first place!" Minji took my hand in both of hers. "Please think about this. I know you think I'm nagging, but I just want you to be safe."

I smiled half-heartedly. "I know."

Minji smiled back for a moment. Then the smile fell. "You're still going to go back to her, aren't you?"

I shook my head. "No, she's coming back for me."

Minji blinked. "You mean she left you?"

"She's coming back! She's got her reasons."

"Yes! That she's a criminal! You don't know who she's hurt. You don't know if she's just playing with you. You don't know what else she's done."

"I trust her, okay? She has done nothing to hurt me. She wants what's best for me!"

"And I don't?"

I scoffed. "I didn't say that!"

"But you're not listening to me."

I crossed my arms. "You don't understand."

"Then help me to. Please," said Minji softly.

"She's...amazing. She's funny. She's strong."

"But does she think about you? Does she ask about what you want? What's good for you?"

"I..." I had to think for a moment. But then I remembered. She had put her hand up my shirt. I wanted her to stop. So she did. "Yes. She does."

Minji sighed. "Okay. That's the most important thing. I know you know I don't like this, but as long as she continues thinking about you and your needs, then I guess I'll support you."

"Wait, really?"

Minji nodded. "But the second she mistreats you, you run as fast as you can. Call the police if you have to. Okay?"

I laughed. "It won't come to that. She's a good person."

Minji glared at me, completely serious. "Promise me."

I looked in her eyes, then nodded. "I promise."

"Are you guys gonna watch the movie, or...?" asked Gahyeon. She had finished the wedges. Now she was eating my popcorn.

Minji and I laughed. We pulled Gahyeon to us and snuggled together.

"Yes, we are," said Minji, grinning. "Now gimme that popcorn."


	13. Power

It was another whole month before I saw Siyeon again. But that month wasn't one of empty dejection this time. I knew she was coming. It was only a matter of when.

In the interim, I kept myself busy with my life. I was happy, and my friends noticed it. Shortly after Gahyeon's movie night I told all of the girls, and that was when the relentless teasing began. I pretended to be bothered by it, but I honestly liked it. It was the first time I'd been teased about someone I liked, and they liked me back. Revolutionary.

The days flew by in a contented blur. Siyeon filled my thoughts. I was happy. But only for a month.

Then the Nightmares came again. They appeared in my room at night and woke me from my sleep. Three of them, standing over my bed.

"We warned you what would happen if you saw Siyeon again," they said. "This is your reward."

I didn't give them a chance to do anything else. Adrenaline shot through my body, waking me instantly. I leapt out of bed and dashed for the door. One of the Nightmares tried to grab me. Its sharp fingers slashed at my shoulder, leaving two vicious, jagged, diagonal gashes on my right shoulder blade. I cried out. But I knew no one would come.

Bursting out my door in my pajamas, I sprinted down the hallway. The Nightmares gave chase.

I made it to the stairwell and ran down stairs the fastest I had ever done. I'm surprised I didn't trip at all. Maybe it's my grace and balance as a dancer that saved me. Who knows. I took the steps two or three at a time. It was just enough to keep me ahead of them.

I shoved the ground floor door open and launched myself into the empty night streets. The Nightmares nipped at my heels.

I screamed as loud as I could, but I knew no-one could hear me. Sprinting as fast as I was, I couldn't keep the pace up for long. My muscles burned. My chest hurt. I drank in the cold night air. All that wasn't enough.

After a few minutes, they caught me.

One of them, sensing my fatigue, leapt forward and tore a gash in my right calf. I tripped and fell on my face, knocking my lip and grazing my arms.

I immediately twisted around and threw a kick at the nearest one. My foot passed through as if I had kicked mist. Then it went numb. Where it had touched the Nightmare, I could no longer feel anything. It was like I didn't have that foot anymore.

I began crying - no, sobbing - helplessly. I was terrified. I was going to die. "Someone, please help me!" I cried. Dejectedly. I knew no one could hear me.

And then she came, in a flash of red light. Siyeon appeared behind the Nightmares. Her eyes were dark and dangerous. Something jagged, and covered in blood. A nimbus of electric blue surrounded her as she gathered her power. Her lips moved.

Then she unleashed her power. It launched the Nightmares away from me, but that wasn't all. Now they were clouded in that blue nimbus. Electricity drained from all the buildings and streetlights around me, and became lightning bolts that launched themselves with reckless abandon at the Nightmares. They writhed in silent agony, helpless against Siyeon's magic.

"Siyeon!" I gasped, grinning ecstatically.

She ignored me. More blue gathered around her, this time crackling with electricity. The Nightmares were already beginning to get up again. She launched this new cloud at them. The Nightmares flinched briefly, then dispelled the magic.

Siyeon's eyes went wide. She dashed to me. Grabbed my hand.

Then we disappeared together in a flash of red light.


	14. Magic

Siyeon and I appeared in a flash of red light. But how do I describe where we appeared?

I'll start with this: it wasn't our dimension, but a different one. We were on a tiny floating island in the middle of a bright blue sky. There was only one sun. So many sci-fi films would have you believe there would be two or three, so I was taken aback by that. The wind gusted and fluttered our hair flutter wildly. I could smell Siyeon on the wind.

The island we were on was soft and grassy. Around us, floating in the sky, were several similar tiny islands. Some had trees. Some of those trees even had fruit. As I was drinking in the view, my blood seeped from my shoulder and calf wounds. But my pain was drowned in wonder.

Siyeon, meanwhile, was frowning. "They hurt you," she said. "Where?"

I snapped out of my awe. "Huh?"

Siyeon shook me. "Where are you hurt, Bora?" Her face was studiously blank, but there was something lost and wild in her eyes. _Don't leave me_ , they said. _Don't go_. My heart hurt at the sight. I can't imagine what she must have been through, losing her parents and heavens knows who else.

I smiled at her reassuringly. "Just my right shoulder and right calf. I'll be fine."

Siyeon smiled back, but it was more of a grimace. "Yes, you will be."

She turned me over onto my front. I grunted, the movement jostling my wounds. Siyeon ignored me, and instead stared at my shoulder. Several moments passed. Then her lips moved, and I felt something like iced water pouring into my gashes. I strained to look over my shoulder. The gashes seemed to be sealing themselves up.

Then Siyeon moved onto my calf wound and did the same thing. A flush like iced water. The wound healed up. No scars at all.

"Sit up, please," said Siyeon.

I obeyed.

She looked me in the eye. "Your lip is split. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I've grazed my elbows, but it's nothing."

"Hold them up."

"I'll be fine, really- " Suddenly I felt something invisible grab my elbows and yank them up.

The same process again. Lips moved. Iced water. Wounds healed.

Only then did Siyeon sigh and relax. We sat side by side gazing at the view for a long time. I'm not sure, maybe twenty minutes? Half an hour? But it looked like Siyeon wasn't going to break the silence anytime soon, so I did.

I smiled at her. "Thanks for saving me. That was some really cool magic back there."

Siyeon returned my smile. "It was my pleasure."

"But...how did you know I was in trouble? You appeared at an awfully convenient time to play the hero." I smiled wryly.

Siyeon shrugged. "Remember when I took you to my parents' house? We kissed and I put my hand up your shirt?"

I giggled, my face heating up at the memory. "Yes, how could I forget?"

"Well, when I did that, I placed a tracking charm on you."

My smile faded a little. "You did what? You've been tracking me? Why?"

Siyeon waved her hands. "I haven't been stalking you, I promise! I just wanted to make sure you're safe. The charm warns me if you're hurt. It activated, so I went to your place. Then it activated again on the street, so I went there instead. You know the rest of the story."

I laughed. "You're my guardian angel, aren't you? My knight in shining armor." I put the back of my hand on my forehead. "Oh, my lady, I swoon!"

"Oh, shush," said Siyeon. "You know you love it."

"Of course I do. But if you knew where I was all this time, why didn't you visit?"

"I've been searching for the key to unlock the book. And the good news is, I've found it."

"Ooh, let me see!"

"I...don't have it with me. But I know where it is. And I was actually going to visit you soon, because I want you to help me steal it."

"Wait, me?"

"Are you in?"

"I'm not sure how I can help, but yes!" I laughed. "Count me in!"

Siyeon smirked. My heart leapt to my throat. "Then let's get you into some better clothes," she said.

She took my hand and we disappeared together in a flash of red light.

 


	15. The Key

Siyeon took me back to her parents' house and dressed me up in the hottest, tightest black dress I've ever worn. She herself wore a fitted suit. I have to admit, she really pulled it off. Only after we did our hair and makeup did Siyeon actually tell me where we were going.

Our destination was the dance hall of some distant prince in a far-off dimension. He was the heir to a throne of many hundreds of galaxies, and he had come across the key by sheer accident. According to Siyeon, she had dropped the key as she was fleeing the House after she stole it, along with the book. She had picked up the book, but left the key behind. Then this lucky, thrill-seeking, son of a gun happened across it on one of his many joyrides and decided to keep it, thinking it was some fancy piece of jewellery. Talk about bad luck.

The goal for tonight was simple: get close to the prince and steal the key from around his neck. Never mind all the security he would doubtless have with him, nor the fact that I was still in way over my head. But Siyeon had told me I would be useful, so I decided to trust her.

My job was to be eye candy and distract the prince. Siyeon would do the stealing (as always). I asked her why she couldn't simply steal the key with magic. The magic of the key was stronger than Siyeon's magic. Siyeon would even go so far as to say that the key was a type of magic in itself. I merely shrugged. She was the witch here, not me.

And so, dressed in the hottest, tightest dress I've ever worn. Siyeon got us to the prince's private residence, wherein he was hosting a small gathering - about thirty people all up.

The residence was a small but glamorous affair on a frosty mountain top. The gathering itself was in the courtyard before the entrance, and it was filled with guests, platters of nibbles, and more than enough drinks to go around.

I was shivering when we appeared outside, but as soon as we crossed the threshold into the courtyard, a delicious warmth stole over me. I smiled.

Beside me stood Siyeon in her fitted suit. I won't lie, she looked hot. Dangerous. More so than usual. Together, we strode into the party liked we belong. Siyeon had cast a charm on the both of us that would stop people from wondering why we were there. To everyone there, we were simply two folks who had mutual friends with everyone.

Siyeon pointed the prince out to me. He was a shortish man. Still taller than the both of us, but not by much. His hair was blonde. His jaw was chiselled and flecked with stubble. He had a slight beer belly though. Not completely perfect, then.

I looked beside me. Siyeon had disappeared. I sighed and straightened my shoulders. It was time to do my job.

It was childishly easy in the end. The prince saw me, an irresistible piece of candy, and thought he could take what he wanted. I don't normally like to do this, but with him I didn't hesitate to lead him on. Teasing him with the promise but never delivering.

All the while, Siyeon closed in on her prey. She snuck under his guard, stole the key, then stuck a knife in his liver for good measure. Her eyes were venomous.

"She's _my_ girl, your highness," she hissed in his ear.

Then she darted away, grabbed my hand, and we disappeared together in a flash of red light.

It was a simple job in the end. I never found out if the prince survived or not, or why Siyeon decided to stab him. Maybe she was angry. Maybe he had done something. Or maybe she did it for the fun of it, for the power kick it gave her. I didn't know.

But we succeeded, and we were out of there, the memory already fading like a distant dream.

 


	16. Hope

We appeared with a flash of red light on the bottom floor of Siyeon's parents' house. Siyeon didn't waste any time materialising the heavy black book bound in chains and a skull-shaped lock. There was a wild, frantic look in her eyes. All of her work had been leading up to this.

She jammed the key into the lock.

Turned it.

The lock opened with a click, and the chains fell free.

Siyeon gasped, her eyes wide. "Look, Bora, look! I did it! I unlocked it!" she crowed, a gleeful grin on her face.

The outburst was so sudden and quite frankly adorable that I burst out giggling. "Yes, you did!"

Siyeon started laughing with me. "And I couldn't have done it without you, Bora!"

She grabbed my head and planted a kiss on my lips. But she didn't stop there. She kept on kissing and kissing until her red lipstick was all over my face.

I smiled at her, bemused at the sudden display of affection. Not that I minded. Not even a little bit. "I'm glad I could help. You can see your parents again, Siyeon!"

"I know!" she squealed. She raced behind the desk and opened the book to the first page. A blank exercise book and pen flew through the air towards her. Her glasses case followed suit. She opened it, taking out thin, metal-framed glasses.

I blinked at the sight of her. Siyeon, wearing a suit and nerdy glasses, behind a desk piled with books. She acted like such a cool girl, a wild child, that this prim and proper Siyeon...I went to her desk and sat on the side of it, the hem of my already short, tight dress hiking up my thighs even more.

Siyeon didn't notice at all. I may as well have not been there. I cleared my throat loudly. Siyeon looked up.

"Excuse me, miss," I said, "I must claim my reward."

Siyeon blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You have plenty of time to examine that," I gestured vaguely at the now-unlocked book. "Right here, right now, you're time is mine."

Siyeon leaned forward, propping her chin on her hands. "Oh, is that so?"

I leaned forward too, gazing directly into her soft, brown eyes. "Yes." I grabbed her tie. Her eyes went wide. "It is."

I yanked her forward by the tie and pressed her lips to mine. Her eyes were wide as she flailed for a moment, before she settled into it. From the get-go this kiss was more passionate than our first. All thoughts of air were ignored as we breathed each other in. Our mouths moved in perfect harmony. I slid my hand behind her neck and pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss. I wanted more. I wanted it all. She moaned into my mouth. My heart leapt.

And then, suddenly, I pulled away. Siyeon jerked forward, trying to continue the kiss. But she was too slow. My eyes roamed up and down her body. Her face was completely flushed, her brown eyes dark and half-lidded. Her mouth was half open, her breath coming quick and deep. Her now-dishevelled tie rested on her heaving chest. She licked her lips. She wanted more.

Siyeon stood up. I smirked at her. "I've got a lot more where that came from," I purred.

But she smirked back in that dangerous way of hers. "I'm counting on it."

An invisible force held me fast where I stood. Siyeon prowled closer. I was trapped in her gaze, helpless, defenceless.

And I liked it.

Gentle hands caressed my face. Siyeon began kissing my neck. An involuntary moan escaped my throat. This woman knew what she was doing. Ever so gently, she pulled me down and laid me down on the ground on my back. Siyeon was pressing herself on top of me, one knee on either side. She was kissing my neck all the while, flitting her tongue against the most sensitive areas. She even bit me a few times. Each bite elicited a loud moan from me without fail.

While she did that, her hands began to roam. Over my shoulders. Down my arms. Onto my legs. Up my thighs. Over my hips. Up my stomach. Slowly. Very slowly, like honey pouring over me.

"Do it, Siyeon," I said.

"Beg for it."

"Please, Siyeon. I beg you."

Siyeon grinned into my neck. She gently kissed me behind my jaw. "One more time," she murmured.

" _I need you_ ," I breathed.

Only then did Siyeon oblige. Her hands moved up. On my chest.

She bit my neck, and began to massage.

I let out the loudest moan yet. I had never felt anything like this. She was on me. All over me. Her kiss, her touch, sending waves of pleasure that reverberated through my entire body. I let out a little moan with each breath. I arched my back, pressing my chest into her hands. I angled my head away, giving her greater access to my neck. I was held down by her magic, pinned under her body. I was helpless. And I didn't want to help it. I was hers, all hers. It was exactly what I wanted to be.

I rode those waves of pleasure into the darkest corners of the night. And as I settled into my bed back home, I turned my mind back to that experience and put my hand down my pants, desperate to relive every second all over again.

 


	17. Despair

They came for me in the night again. Three Nightmares surrounding my bed. This time, however, they did not take any chances.

I startled from sleep to the sight of them around me. Then one of them waved their hand and cast what must have been a kind of sleeping spell. I was knocked out cold.

When I came to, my head was clear. No hint of any grogginess or fatigue. It was almost like the Nightmares had hit the pause button on my consciousness. I was thankful for that, because I wanted to know where I was.

I inspected my surroundings. I seemed to be standing (in my pajamas no less) in the middle of an ornate, pre-revolutionary French style mansion. Glittering chandeliers shattering the light within and casting the shards all over the room. Graceful marble banisters on a set of stairs leading to heavens-knows-where. And there was of course the expensive red carpet that lay beneath my feet. It was soft and comfortable. I didn't know it then, but I would later learn that this was the House. The House. The source of all magic.

When I tried to move something other than my head, I found I couldn't. I was bound by magic, like I had been with Siyeon. Except this time, it was against my will. That made my pulse spike, and my breath quicken. Where was Siyeon? Was she safe? Did they get her too? I didn't know.

Then a Nightmare materialized before me.

"You are here as bait for the witch Siyeon," the Nightmare said in its thoroughly unsettling voice.

I blinked. "Well, thanks for that. I wasn't expecting such a straightforward explanation."

The Nightmare ignored my quip. "The witch Siyeon has placed a tracking charm on you that activates when you are in pain. To lure her here, we are going to torture you." It raised a hand.

All levity in me was replaced by a chill. "You what now?"

The Nightmare stabbed my left thigh square on. Its blade-like finger pierced skin, muscle, then shattered bone. A scream tore from my throat, blindsided by the pain.

But it didn't stop there. The Nightmare continued pushing. Through my hamstrings. Its finger tore out the back of my thigh. I cried out. Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed and cried and screamed in agony.

The Nightmare wrenched its finger out of my thigh, tearing another scream from my throat. It waved its hand over the wound. The blood stopped flowing, but the pain remained, throbbing violently from the trauma.

I was crying in big, ugly sobs. "You don't have to hurt me. Please don't hurt me," I said. "I'm a normal human, I don't have anything to do with this."

"You became part of this when you allied yourself with the witch Siyeon," the Nightmare replied. Then it stood perfectly still. It seemed to be listening, waiting for something. I didn't know what.

Time passed unknowingly. I begged several times for the Nightmare to let me go. I tried offering deals, or barters - wild attempts at negotiating myself out of this situation. But the Nightmare ignored me and remained perfectly still. It was a while before the tears stopped, but the pain remained, almost as prominent as before.

Then the Nightmare stirred, seeming to have received orders of some kind. It raised its finger again.

"No, no, no, no, no, please no!" I started at normal volume, but my voice became shrill. "Please don't hurt me, please!" I began to cry again. "Plea- "

My begging was cut off by the stabbing of the Nightmare's finger into my right thigh this time. It punctured skin, then muscle, shattered bone, ripped through more muscle, and tore through the other side.

And I screamed. I had never been in such agony in my entire life. I screamed. I screamed and screamed and screamed as it twisted its finger in my thigh. My throat became hoarse and dry, but still I screamed. There was nothing I could do. No tricks. No escape. The pain was there, everlasting. All I could do was scream.

I wasn't even allowed to black out. When I did, the Nightmare cast a spell to wake me up, and the torture continued. More cuts. More stabbing. More blood. And then I was healed, only to be torn open anew. The Nightmare seemed to have limits. Only my legs were targeted. To guarantee I would stay alive, maybe? But that didn't stop it from being hell. My blood soaked perfectly into the soft, red floor, and it left not a mark in sight.


	18. The Chase

Now, why didn't Siyeon come get me while I was being tortured, I hear you ask? Good question. I was wondering that myself at the time, but I later learned her side of things.

Siyeon had known where I was from the moment I was first hurt. She was still in her parents' house at the time, puzzling over the book. As soon as my left thigh was stabbed, though, she immediately sprung into action.

She knew where I was - the House. The House, filled with Nightmares. If she was going to mount a rescue, she was damn sure going to prepare properly for it. When she had first stolen the book, she wasn't even a match for one. When she rescued me, she got them with a surprise attack. Once they knew she was there, she was still no match for them.

So it was that Siyeon studied harder and faster than she ever had, learning and perfecting spells she hadn't even dared to attempt before.

Because I was in trouble, and she was going to get me out.

Still, she wasn't able to hold it off forever. One moment, the charm suddenly stopped communicating my pain to her. That was when she really panicked. It coincided with when I blacked out. The Nightmare soon woke me up again, and the pain resumed. Siyeon had breathed a sigh of relief, but she had feared the worst.

I could've been dead.

I could die any second.

And it would be Siyeon's fault. Not according to me, I blame the Nightmares. But she would still beat herself up for it.

So there I was, trapped in the House with the Nightmare. I had just blacked out, and the Nightmare awoke me with its spell. The torture continued. The Nightmare once more used its sharp fingers to slash and stab my legs before healing them anew. I screamed, and cried, and sobbed. What more could I do? What would you do?

Then Siyeon appeared at the top of the stairs with a flash of blue light. The Nightmare torturing me didn't stand a chance. It shattered, showering sparks of blue light everywhere. Siyeon's hand was still a faint blue from the spell.

"Siyeon, help me, please!" I yelled. Absently, I noticed I could move again. Thankfully, the Nightmare had just finished healing me. The paralyzing spell must have died with the Nightmare.

Siyeon ignored me. She was already on it.

Suddenly more Nightmares appeared. A dozen at my reckoning. One of them grabbed my arm.

Siyeon let off a shock-wave of electric blue, sending the ones around her flying away and writhing with lightning.

"Let her go!" she ordered, her voice loud and clear as a bell.

None of the Nightmares responded. I was used to their silent treatment by now.

She shot a bolt of lightning at the Nightmare holding me. It jerked around, electrocuted by Siyeon's spell, but it didn't release me.

Siyeon growled. She drew a lasso of green light from the air and snapped it towards me. It wrapped around the Nightmare's neck. While she held down the Nightmare with that, she held out her free hand. It began to glow blue.

I yelped as the Nightmare shattered in a shower of flaming blue sparks.

Then Siyeon yanked me hard towards her with her magic. "Come on! Come on, you can do it!" she yelled.

I began running to her, but stumbled and tripped as Siyeon yanked me. I landed heavily on the carpeted floor. "Why did you do that?" I groaned.

Siyeon's eyes darted around frantically. The Nightmares were recovering. They stood and began to close in on us. I felt Siyeon use her magic to pull me to her again, but she wasn't fast enough.

One Nightmare threw itself at Siyeon and slashed wildly at her. Despite Siyeon jumping away, its razor fingers slashed her side. Her blood splattered the carpet and began pouring from the wounds.

Another Nightmare pinned her down with its foot and shut her mouth with its magic. No more spells for her.

"Siyeon!" I cried. Tears filled my eyes. She had come to save me again. I didn't want her to die.

And then I was grabbed by the arms and forced onto my knees by two Nightmares. A third poised its sharp fingers at my throat.

"Do not fight, witch Siyeon," it said. "If you do, your lover dies."

Despite everything, I blushed.

The Nightmares holding Siyeon released her. She got to her feet. "Let her go," she said. Her eyes were dangerous. They held something jagged, and covered in blood. "She has nothing to do with this. It's between you and me."

Once again, the Nightmares ignored her. I didn't know what she was expecting honestly. They weren't a talkative bunch.

"Surrender the book," the Nightmare declared.

Siyeon's jaw worked, as if she knew this was coming. Of course she knew. The book was what they were after the whole time.

But I knew what the book meant to her. She could bring her parents back. Who was I? Just some girl that Siyeon had a little fun with. Nothing next to her parents.

"Siyeon," I said, "I'll understand."

"What?" she said.

"I know I'm just a bit of fun to you. Do what you feel is right. I won't hold it against you, I promise."

"What-what are you talking about?" she spluttered.

Tears welled in my eyes. I wasn't sure if I was going to survive this. "I love you, Siyeon."

Siyeon's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Make your decision, witch Siyeon," the Nightmare growled.

Siyeon's chest was heaving. She looked at me, eyes panicked. She was a wild animal surrounded by hunters. She snarled and bared her hands, an ominous blue glow emanating from them.

The Nightmare stabbed my shoulder with its finger. I cried out. "Do not fight, witch Siyeon," it said.

Siyeon looked stricken. Tears welled in her eyes too. "Bora, I don't know what to do!" she cried.

"I know. I understand. And it's okay. I love you, Siyeon, I meant that. Whatever you choose, I love you." My voice wavered with tears, but it was clear and certain. Before I died, she had to know. "I love you," I whispered more to myself as I broke down crying.

The girls would never know what happened to me. Minji, Yoohyeon, Yoobin, Gahyeon, Handong - they would all be left wondering. Hell, my own parents would be left wondering. I was going to die here. And no one would know.

Silent tears streamed down Siyeon's face as she gazed at me, utterly frozen. What was she thinking? What was she going to do? She gulped before she opened her mouth and took a slow breath.

"I love you too, Bora," she said. She couldn't hold my gaze anymore. Embarrassment? Guilt? Shame?

Siyeon clenched her fists. I closed my eyes and prepared to die.

 


	19. The Choice

"Okay!" yelled Siyeon. "You win!"

My eyes sprung open. Siyeon was heaving for breath as if she'd just run a sprint. Her palms were bleeding from where her nails had dug into them.

"I'll give you the book," she said to the Nightmare with its finger to my throat. Then her eyes met mine. I can't, she mouthed.

"Siyeon..." I said.

"Then give it," said the Nightmare.

Siyeon held out her hand. The book materialized above it and came to rest in her palm. "Here. Now give the girl to me."

The Nightmare who had been threatening me walked over to Siyeon. After a moment of what looked like staring, it passed its hand over the book, which disappeared into the Nightmare.

The Nightmares holding me let me go. I ran towards Siyeon.

Siyeon held out her hand. "Stay back! This isn't over." Her eyes went back to the Nightmare before her.

I froze where I was. The Nightmares got what they wanted. What more did they want?

"On your knees, witch Siyeon," said the Nightmare.

Siyeon knelt, eyes empty.

"You have stolen from the House and abused the gifts it has bestowed. In accordance with section eight, subsection thirteen, paragraph four of the Laws of the House, you are to be punished hence."

"Wait, don't hurt her!" I screamed.

Of course, the Nightmare ignored me. It held its hand in front of Siyeon's face.

Then a strange, sparkling, white light flowed from Siyeon's eyes and into the Nightmare's palm.

And Siyeon screamed.

I ran forward. "Stop it, you're hurting her!"

A magical force threw me away from the spectacle. I landed roughly on the carpet, jarring my shoulder wound.

I raised my head, eyes on Siyeon. I could only watch Siyeon writhe in pain as the Nightmare wrenched whatever it was from her.

And then it was over. Siyeon slumped to the floor, unconscious.

"The punishment is passed. The witch Siyeon is no more," said the Nightmare.

I got up, ran to Siyeon, and cradled her in my arms. Her chest was rising and falling with her breath. Not dead. A sigh of relief.

"Now, begone." The Nightmare raised its hand, and in a flash of white light, we appeared in a filthy alley in the dead of night. The stench of rubbish from a nearby tip filled my nostrils. It had rained recently too. The ground was drenched with puddles of dirt and grime. I pulled her closer to me, trying to keep her wounds out of the water.

"Siyeon, wake up," I whispered, gazing at her soft face. She saved me. She came back and saved me. Despite what she said, she even gave up the chance to see her parents again. For me.

Her eyes fluttered. She groaned as she woke. "Where are we?" she said.

"I don't know," I said. But I was grinning. We were both alive and (mostly) fine. We were going to be okay.

Then I frowned as I noticed that Siyeon wasn't nearly as happy as I was.

She began to cry. Her body racked with silent sobs.

I hugged her to me so tightly and began to rock her. "Shh, shh, it's going to be okay. I've got you. I'm here."

Siyeon continued to cry, her tears drenching my pajama top.

"I'm so sorry for what you lost. I know how much seeing your parents meant to you."

"It's not just that," she blubbered into my non-bloodied shoulder. "They severed my link to the House. My magic - it's gone."

Oh.

Still, I continued to cradle her. "But I'm not. I'm right here. You're not alone okay?"

Siyeon nodded, her hair brushing my chin.

"Okay, we need to go to a hospital and get our wounds treated. A hospital is fine, right?"

Siyeon chuckled through her tears. "Yes. Now it is."

I smiled. At least there was that. "Can you stand?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then let's go."

We got to our feet and padded tentatively out of the alley. Luckily, this street was a busy one, where the night life was. I stopped a group of inebriated women who were walking by.

"Excuse me, can you please call the ambulance? My friend and I are injured." I gestured to my shoulder and Siyeon's flank.

The women were lovely. They complied without hesitation.

It wasn't long before an ambulance took us to the hospital. The doctors called my friends, the Dreamcatchers (I still love the name, don't judge me). They were so worried, but thankful to know that the gang Siyeon was a part of had officially kicked her out tonight. After that, they were far friendlier to her, much to my relief. I didn't want her to feel alone.

Our physical wounds recovered. Siyeon had no money or possessions, so when she moved in with me, herself was the only item to move. My friends and I helped her find a couple of part time jobs, and together, we paid the rent, paid the bills, bought the food, etc.

Siyeon was very much used to living wild and free, so this new life chafed her. But now she had the one thing in her life that she didn't have before.

Love.

She now had the love of friendship. Siyeon was officially dubbed by Minji as the Seventh Dreamcatcher and we all drunk ourselves stupid that night. I would say I would remember it forever, but I can't honestly remember half the night.

And she had my love. The love of her girlfriend.

Still, it wasn't all sunshine and roses after that. No, not even close.

 


	20. Trauma

It was just over a week after my torture that I had my first panic attack. Since Siyeon lived with me now, she slept with me in my bed every night. With her strong, comforting presence, I felt at ease in the darkness.

The trouble came when, one night, Siyeon was out with some of the girls. I had to sleep early because I had work the next day, so Siyeon, at my urging, went on without me. She worried sometimes, but I told her I would be okay.

I was wrong.

That night, when I turned off the lights, I saw them. Nightmares, all around me. Here to take me away. And hurt me.

I screamed and turned the lights back on. My heart was hammering in my chest. I couldn't breathe. I was sweating. Not enough air. I wasn't safe. I yelled out for Siyeon. She wasn't here. I began to cry. I curled up in the corner, clutched the walls, and sobbed as I tried to keep breathing.

After a solid fifteen minutes, maybe more, things began to subside. I began to calm down again. The edge was still there though. I dared not turn off the lights. Instead, I grabbed a knife from the kitchen area and stood in the corner, fully alert. When I began to feel drowsy, I made some instant coffee, and stayed up.

By the time Siyeon came back home, I was a shaky wreck. My eyes were red and puffy. I had stood in the corner with that knife all that time.

When Siyeon saw me, she dropped her bag and rushed over.

"Bora! Are you okay? What happened?" She grabbed my hands and worked the knife free from them.

"N-nothing," I lied. "Couldn't sleep is all."

Siyeon raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I bet you couldn't." Then she hugged me.

We stayed like that for a long while. Siyeon didn't say anything. We simply stood there, hugging and gently swaying like reeds in the wind. She didn't push me. Didn't pry. I knew she knew something was up, but didn't press for answers. Instead, she comforted me. Wrapped her arms around me. Pulled me close. Kissed my cheeks. Told me she loved me.

After a while, she began telling me about her night. How Yoohyeon got too drunk again and started dancing on the table. Granted, the dancing was surprisingly good, but it was on the table. The Dreamcatchers were soon asked to leave the establishment, which was far too genteel for Drunk Yoohyeon's tastes anyway. Siyeon had suggested she should work at a strip club instead, which earned a withering look from Minji.

It took almost an hour of talking about this and that before I opened up about what actually happened. Siyeon was careful and attentive. After I told her, she kissed me gently on the lips and reminded me that she was here for me, as well as the rest of the girls.

I told her that I had a few issues after our first adventure when a Nightmare stabbed me, and I'd seen a doctor and a psychologist about it. Siyeon suggested that I do that again. I said no, I'll be fine. The problem was different back then. I had to wrap my head around all that I'd seen. This was just a bit of anxiety, nothing more.

The panic attacks only got worse from there. Shadows, big and small, triggered me. I saw Nightmares in every nook and cranny. I saw them in my sleep. I saw them in the dark, backstage with the theater company. It wasn't long before they fired me. Goodbye to my dreams of dancing for a living. I cried and cried and cried.

Despite my telling her not to, Siyeon told the rest of the girls. I was angry at first, but ultimately, it was a relief. I didn't have to pretend everything was okay anymore.

Because it wasn't.

One night, they all knocked on my door. They sat on my bed. And together, they urged me over and over to get help. Under their combined might, I caved.

I used up some sick leave from my receptionist job, and saw the doctor again with Siyeon. He put me on something called a beta blocker. Then I saw my psychologist every week. I went alone to those appointments.

Let me tell you, it was not easy. I was moody. I barely slept, barely ate. Siyeon made sure to drag me out with the girls from time to time though, and I'm glad for that. I felt better afterwards each time.

It took me a year to be okay sitting in the dark alone. I didn't last very long, but I did it. With repeated effort, the time gradually lengthened. Six months after that, I slept alone in the dark.

Don't get me wrong though. I always checked the darkness twice. And I always slept with a knife.

One day, yet more months later, Siyeon spoke to me about it.

"Isn't it time you let that go?" she said.

And so I did.

What happened to me is seared into my mind forever, my innocence torn to shreds.

But I am older now. Stronger. Wiser.

That will have to be enough.

 


End file.
